Signaling device for vehicles



F. M. BALDWIN SIGNALING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES Filed Aug. 23, 1922 hmll LllnV June l0 i Patented .lune l0, 1924.

E D s T y if if;

, meer:

FREDERICK IVI. BALDWIN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

SIGNALING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

Application led August 23, 1922. 4Serial No. 583,742.

in Signaling Devices for Vehicles, of which,

the following is a specification.

My invention relates to signaling devices for vehicles of the character disclosed in my United States Letters Patent VNo.

1,326,127, issued to me December 23, 1919, and has for its principal object to provide certainimprovements therein whereby said signaling device is more simple and economical in its construction, and more accurate in its operation.

In my present invention, I prefer to use the representation of a human hand as the signaling member, although this is not necessary, if another form ofsignal element is desired. I' also .prefer that the hand shall assume a vertical position as it is drawn back into .the case or frame and that it shall assume ahorizontal position when extended straight outwardly, an upwardly directed position when Vextended outwardly and upwardly, and a downwardly directed position when extended outwardly and downwardly, just as the human handV assumes when giving the three signals now quite commonly used for indicating turns to the right, or to the left, or a stop.A I have also provided a simpliied connection of the signaling element to the outer ends of the lazy tongs whereby saidsignaling `element is automatically turned from the vertical to the horizontal position-as it is extended outwardlyb-y the extension of said lazy tongs. Ihave also provided an improved mechanism for operating the lazy tongs to extend them straight outwardly, or upwardly inclined or downwardly inclined, as may be desired, and for releasing them and return-v ing them to normal, or retracted position.A

In order to more fully explain my improvements, I have embodied them in the accompanying sheet of drawings for KAillus-` trative purposes and will describe the same.

Figure 1 is a view of a portion of the front part of an automobile with my improved signaling device mounted thereon and shown extended inan outwardly and upwardly inclined position in full lines, in

an outwardly direction and in an outwardly and downwardly inclined position in broken lines g"y Figure 2 is an inside view of a mechanism for holding and releasing the operating cables;

Figure 3 is an edge view thereof;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view through the case of the device, as shown in Fig. 5;. v

Figure 5 is a side view of the device, with the side removed and with parts broken away; and n Figure 6 isa back viewk of the signal hand with the lazytongs attached. v

Referring in detail tothe drawings, I provide a small case, 1, to be mounted at some convenient position, as at the side ofthe windshield frame of' an automobile, as shown in Fig. 1.- Within said case is Vmounted two discs, or operating elements, 2 and 3, rotatably mounted to turn on an-axis, 4, in opposite directions, each element being provided with an operating cable, as 5, Vresting around a grooved and cur-ved member 6, attached to theV side of eachv disc, and in which the operating cable runs. rllhe discs are also provided with radially extending fingers, 7 and 8, to which the inner ends 9 and 10, of lazy tongs, 11, are pivotally connected. The outer ends of said lazy tongs are attached pivotally to av signaling element, 12, shown in the form of the human hand. It will benoted that said outer ends of said lazyvtongs are attached at dilerent element for the purpose of turning said sig-I naling, element from the vertical position, shown in Fig. 5, to the outwardly extended position as thel lazy tongs are operated to movethe signaling element outwardly to its different positions, as indicated in the broken line positions. One end thereof is provided with a link, as at 13a, whereby the movement is to swingthe signal element 12`on the pivotal connection at 14, as it moves outwardly, as will be clear from Fig. 5.l

This construction avoids the cam action used in my former inventions and greatly simplifies and cheapens the construction without detracting from the accuracy and efficiency of the device. The discs, or operating elements, 2 and 3, are. provided with springs, as 15, by which they are normally turned to the positions which return the signaling element 12 back in. the case, l, when released by the operating cables 5, in a manner to be described. rlhe operating cables run over pulleys, 16 and 17, inthe case 1, as indicated in Fig. 5, and thence to other pulleys, 18 and 19, on a bracket, 20, on the front of the automobile, through which said cables 5, 5, are extended and provided with linger rings, 21 and 22, for convenient operation. Two rocker or lockingtingers, 23, 2e, are mounted on the bracket 20, as shown in` F ig. 2, the fingers of which wedge said operating cables 5, against the sides of the bracket 20, for holding said cables against returnl movement. under the action or" the springs, 15, before referred to, until released. Said holding fingers, 23 and 2.4L are yieldingly held in locking positions by means of a spring25, as indicated. A trip leverror member, 26, is pivotally mounted through thefront of the machine and adapted, when depressed, to move 4.the locking vingers 23 and 24, lto release the cables 5, as will be clear from Figs. 2 and 3, whereupon the springs lautomatically operate to draw the lazyk tongs 11 and signaling element 12 back into; the case, and take up the cables 5.

lnE` ig.- 1l have also shown ya vfoot operating lever, 27, connected by means or a rod, 28, to said trip lever, 26, for releasing, the same with the foot, ifdesired.

l have also showna rearsightinirror, 29, mounted on the-front of the casefl, where desired.

Thus l have greatly simplified and improved myV invention and provided means for moving the signaling hand or element, 12, to the properly extendedy position, as in the case of the human arm signal now used.V lhave` also provided said hand with means for illuminating the same, as by means of phosphorescence coating, as indicated at 30, F ig. l5, although other illuminating means can be used, if desired. l do not, therefore, limitmy invention to the showing made, except as l'may be limitedby the appended claimsli claim:

1. In a signaling device of thercharacter referred to, in combination,

turn on a bearing lazy tongs the endsot supporting. means, lazy tongs, two movablev operatingV Leaders which are connected respectively to, said operating elements, said lazy tongs being wholly supported and operated thereby, a signaling element pivotally connected to the outer ends of said lazy tongs at two iixed lo cations, whereby to turn said signaling element from an upright position to an outwardly directed position as said lazy tongs are extended, and means for operatingsaid operating elements separately or together ifor extending said lazy tongs to any one of three dii'ierent positions.

3. In a signaling device, in combination, a case, two rotatable elements mounted on a common bearing, lazy tongs having the inner ends pivotally connectedA to said rotatable elements, means for rotating said rotatable elements separately or together to extend said lazy tongs in any one ol three extended positions, means for automatically returning said elements to normal positions when released, and a signaling element pivotally connected to the outer ends of said lazy tongs, one pivotal connection being adaptedto move around. the other relatively as said lazy tongs are extended and to swing said signaling element from annpright position to an outwardly extended position as said lazy tongs areextended and to return the same` as said lazy tongs arevretracted.

4. ln combination with lazy tongs, of rotatable operatingelements. connected'thereto, operating cables for said rotatable elements, springs Jfor normally returning said rotatable elements to their normal positions, holding means for automatically. holding saidY cables in extended position, and means for releasing said holding means. to permit return movements.

5. In combination with. lazy tongs and` means for extending and retracting the same, of a signaling element pivotally connectedto theV outer ends thereof, said signaling ele-- ment being pivoted attwo pointsrto the end membersofsaid lazytongs, one of said pivot pointsbeing adapted to move around the. other as said lazy tongs areextended, to turn said signaling element from one position to another as it is extended.

6. In combination with lazy tongs and a signaling element pivotally connected to the outer ends thereof, of means for operating said lazy tongscomprising two rotatable members, the inner endsof saidlazyfftongs being pivotally connected, respectively, to

nected to the outer ends of the outer end members thereof, the pivotal connections to said signaling element being in alinement with each other longitudinally of said signaling element, whereby the outer pivotal point moves around the inner pivotal point as said lazy tongs are extended to turn said signaling element outwardly, two rotatable operating elements to which the inner ends of said lazy tongs are pivotally connected, springs for automatically returning said operating elements to. normal positions when released, operating cables for turning said rotatable operating elements together or separately in opposite directions, locking means operating on said cables to automatically grip and hold the same in extended positions, and means for releasing the same at will, substantially as described.

8. In a signaling device of the character by said member is turned about one of said f pivot points as said lazy tongs are extended and retracted, two rotatable members pivotally connected, respectively, tol the inner end members of said tongs, means for turning said members separately and together in opposite directions to extend said lazy tongs, and means for returning said rotatable members to their normal positions.

Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 14th day of August, 1922.

FREDERICK M. BALDWIN. Witnesses:

W. R. LITZENBERG, MAI FIELD DOUGLAS. 

